Contemporary

In this episode of Ergasia, we conclude our exploration of Dead Man Working by Carl Cederstrom and Peter Fleming (Zero Books, 2012). Does Cederstrom and Fleming's idea of the child as the helpless but ultimate subversive of the zombie apocalypse of post-industrial capitalism have merit? What is the response of a Christian theology of work to this idea? What do either suggest about how humanity can liberate its essence - and the essence of human work - from the clutches of an oppressive and controlling paradigm?References
Cederstrom, Carl and Fleming, Peter Dead Man Working. Alresford: Zero Books, 2012.
 

In this episode, the host of Ergasia, Brendan Byrne, offers a theological reflection on the book Dead Man Working by Carl Cederstrom and Peter Fleming (Zero Books, 2012).  In particular, he focuses on Cederstrom and Fleming's characterisation of the world of post-industrial work as a "land of the living dead", one in which human life has been appropriated in the interests of an oppressive and self-sustaining system; and views their analysis through the lens of the Christian understanding of work's role and meaning in human life, and Jesus' own critique of secular and religious powers that exist absent the human need they are meant to serve.
References
Cederstrom, Carl and Fleming, Peter Dead Man Working. Alresford: Zero Books, 2012Sedlacek, Tomas The Economics of Good and Evil: The Quest for Economic Meaning from Gilgamesh to Wall Street. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2011
Quiggan, John Zombie Economics: How Dead Ideas Still Walk Among Us. Revised Updated Edition. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2012

In this episode, we conclude our exploration of the book Dead Man Working by Carl Cederstrom and Peter Fleming (Zero Books, 2012) with an examination of the ways and means that people use to escape the life-consuming tyranny of corporatised labour - strategies that range from the absurd to the futile to the tragic.CONTENT ADVISORY/WARNING: This episode includes a discussion of death - specifically suicide - as a response to the traumas of work.  If listening to this discussion will cause problematic thoughts and feelings, please either skip that part of this episode, or skip this episode altogether. Australian listeners requiring support should contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636. International listeners should contact a qualified medical practitioner or counselling service in their area.
References
Cederstrom, Carl and Fleming, Peter Dead Man Working. Alresford: Zero Books, 2012
 

In this episode, we continue our exploration of some of the secular critiques of corporatised work as articulated in the book Dead Man Working by Carl Cederstrom and Peter Fleming. In particular, we examine the emergence of "emotional labour" and the phenomenon of the "girlfriend effect" to which it has given rise: the phoney reality of work-as-life that consumes the whole of our humanity, creating a fake identity which we can no longer distinguish from who we really are.
References
Cederstrom, Carl and Fleming, Peter, Dead Man Working. Alresford; Zero Books, 2012. 

In this episode, we begin a new series exploring some contemporary critiques of work based on the book Dead Man Working by Carl Cederstrom and Peter Fleming. Cederstrom and Fleming describe the world of corporatised work as the "land of the living dead" in which the motifs and symbols of resistance to work - as well as biopower, the key characteristic of our humanity - have been co-opted by corporatism to trap humans in an endless regime of pointless and unfulfilling labour.ReferencesCederstrom, Carl, and Fleming, Peter, Dead Man Working.  Alresford; Zero Books, 2012. 

In this episode we will explore the necessity for the Church to develop a systematic theology of work, using as our lens an encounter between Jesus and a crippled woman as told in The Gospel According to Luke.
 
References
Bloomquist, Karen L. The Dream Betrayed: Religious Challenge of the Working Class. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 1990.
Dunlop, Tim Why The Future Is Workless. Sydney: NewSouth Publishing, 2016.
Volf, Miroslav Work In The Spirit: Toward A Theology of Work. Eugene: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2001.

In this introductory episode, we learn the meaning of Ergasia, unpack some of the basic motivations behind this podcast, and sketch an outline of future episodes.